Shoe-buckle.



Y I.. OSTIVIANN.

sHopaucKLE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9.19I4.

LQQBBQ. Patented my 15,1917.

yhours os'rivrenn, or sr'. CHARLES, ivrrssoUnI.

' stron-BUCKLE.

speeificanoa of Letters Patent Patented May 15, 1917 Applcationled November 9, 1914; l SeriaLNo. 871,172.

To cllfwwm it may concern: l l

Be it known that I, Louis Os'rMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Charles, in the county of St. Charles, State of Missouri, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Shoe-Buckles, and f I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in boot and shoe fasteners and more particularly to a novel form of buckle whereby a shoe may be readily secured in position on the foot.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a simple, durable and inexpensive fastener of the above character, in

l which the elements thereof may be each stamped from a single blank of sheet material, one of the elements to be formed in such. manner as to prevent accidental disengagement of the other element therefrom, this being the principal fault of the present type of fastener.`

A further object of the invention is to provide an article that may be quickly and easily manipulated for the purpose of securing a shoe, and in which the elements thereof when engaged will automatically adjust themselves in locking position.

With the above and other objects of similar nature in view, the invention consists inv the construction, combination and arrange ment of parts, set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe, showing the invention applied. l

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the fastener with the parts in locking position.

Fig. 3 is a view in blank of one of thel fastening elements of thel device, and

Fig. a is a detail perspective view of the element formed from `the blank.

' Referring now more particularly Ato the drawing, there is shown a shoe 10 of conventional type, including the usual upper 11, the fastener which comprises essentially a keeper element 12 and a locking tongue 13, being secured to the side margins of the upper in the manner as clearly illustrated.

In detail the keeper element 12 of the fastener is constructed preferably of a single blank of sheet metal, one side edge of which is stamped with an outward projection or lug 14, with an elongated slot 15 formed adjacent the opposite edge and disposed in substantially parallel relation-thereto. The

blank is further provided with openings 16 `whereby it may be conveniently secured to the shoe by rivets 17 or other suitable means.

In forming the keeper element from the above described blank, the projection 14 is bent upwardly and inwardly with relation to the body portion 18 4whereby to provide a suitable hook, the side of the blank opposite from said hook being likewise bent upward from the body 18, and at right angles thereto, on a line coincident with the inner edge of the slot 16. It is readily apparent that in this manner a suitable guide opening for the locking tongue 13 is provided.

In referring now to this tongue 13, it isl to be explained that the same is constructed in a manner similar to like fastenings at present employed on storm overshoes or arctics and comprises a plate that is curved continuously from end to end so that its outer face is convex and its inner face concave. This plate is provided at one end with a slot 19 for the reception of its securing strap 20, and is further provided through the remainder of its length with a plurality of transversely disposed openings 21. It will be noted that by curving the plate in the manner referred to, the same, when fastened will conform to the curvature of the ankle or instep of the wearer and thus lie snugly against the shoe.

To secure a shoe in which my improved fastener is embodied, the members'lQ and 13 are taken in hand and pulled together to tighten the upper about the foot. When this is done the slotted plate or tongue 13 is inserted through the slot 16 in the keeper 12 to bring one of the transverse openings 21 in position to receive the hook 14, releasing of the members thus permitting the hook to automatically adjust itself in locking relation with the adjacent opening by reason of the retractive nature of the leather in the upper and the natural tendency of the tongue 13 to snugly engage the shoe.

It may further be added that by providingthe guide 16 for the tongue 13, movement of the free end of the latter outwardly from the shoe will be prevented, the outer keeper whereby possibility of accidental disengagement of the tongue from the hook 14 will beobviated.

What is claimed, is

A shoe fastener comprising a flat plate, a slotted .angular extension at one end of the plate, a reduced extension at the opposite end of the-plate bent at an acute angle thereto and toward the slotted extension, and a tongue having 7one end slidably Lengaged through the slotted extension and provided with a series of openings interchangeably receiving said reduced eXtension, said tongue being disengageable from the plate by rocking the tongue outwardly from the plate on the slotted extension as a fulcruin to withdraw the reduced extension from the related opening.

In testimony whereof7 I aX my signature, in the presence of two witnesses. i

LOUIS OSTMANN.

Witnesses:

THEO. K. SCHAEFER, J. GEO. DLEHR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained vfor 've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. G. Y 

